


Start Your Engines

by Inkbrush



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: (They're college-age), Alternate Universe - College/University, First Dates, Getting Together, M/M, Noya is the uber driver, Romantic Comedy, uber driver au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 21:54:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24053995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Inkbrush/pseuds/Inkbrush
Summary: Asahi just wants to get to the ramen place in one piece, but the rideshare app paired him with a guy who drives like his V8's trying to win the Grand Prix. This is how love stories start, right?
Relationships: Azumane Asahi/Nishinoya Yuu
Comments: 14
Kudos: 80





	Start Your Engines

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cosmogony](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cosmogony/gifts).



Asahi stood on the curb, staring down at his phone, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear for the third time. 

He looked up to a thick-wheeled red car rounding into the driveway. Shoes crunched on gravel and Asahi opened the back door, sliding into the leather seat. A rich coffee scent hit his nose. The short man in the driver’s seat looked at him over the thermos in the centre console. The first thing Asahi noticed was the hair, spiked up with a dash of blond falling over his forehead. 

“Hi! My name’s Nishinoya Yuu and I’ll be your Uber driver today!”

Woah. Very enthusiastic. Asahi eyed the flask. How much coffee had this guy drunk? Bowing forward slightly in the seat, he said quietly, “Asahi Azumane. Thanks.”

The grin didn’t leave Nishinoya’s face. “I see you’re going to…” Nishinoya squinted at the GPS attached to the dashboard. “Hiraizumi Tonkotsu Ramen?”

“Yes.”

“Great!” Nishinoya stepped down hard on the pedal. The car shot forward, and Asahi had to clutch onto the door rail to avoid being slammed into the window. The soft classical music was totally at odds with the death-trip Nishinoya was taking them on. Nishinoya spoke as if he wasn’t swinging them around corners with glorious abandon. They were both going to _die_. How had this guy passed the driving test?

“So…” said Nishinoya, glancing back at him (Eyes on the road!), “This ramen place is pretty fancy. Is it a special occasion?”

Asahi felt his face heat a little. “Uh, yeah. It’s for a date.”

Nishinoya sat up a little straighter, somehow becoming even more excited. “Oho! Who’s the special lady?”

“Uhh…” Should he come out to his Uber driver? What if he was homophobic and threw him out of the car? Asahi breathed out. The guy couldn’t be more than twenty; there was a good chance he wouldn’t take offense to Asahi’s existence. At worst, it might make the conversation awkward. Well, if that happened, at least he wouldn’t have to answer any more questions. “His name’s Mishima.”

“Oh!!” Nishinoya jumped a little in the seat. “That’s great! I’m gay too!” Wh-what? He just--What?

“Oh.” Deciding this was not a decent response, Asahi continued, “Uh. That’s… Nice. I think. Is it nice? For you, I mean?” Asahi berated himself internally. What was he _saying_ ? Why couldn’t he make conversation like a _norma_ l person? Could he just jump out the car window now?

Asahi was grateful when Nishinoya spoke as if he hadn’t just failed at basic human communication. “It’s super nice!” For the rest of the car trip, Asahi was regaled by Nishinoya’s stories of his ex-boyfriends and all the dramatic ways they’d broken up, ending with, “Just haven’t found the right one yet, I guess!”

The car rolled to a stop, and Asahi got out, thanking Nishinoya, and was sure to leave him five stars, despite the awful driving. Asahi didn’t want a negative review to put Nishinoya’s job in danger. (Plus, his ratings could probably use all the help they could get.)

-0-

They were supposed to meet at seven. Asahi stood outside the restaurant, wind blowing strands of brown hair over his face, illuminated by a flickering street lamp. 

Seven passed.

Seven-ten.

Seven-twenty.

Asahi tried to calm himself. His date might have been lost in traffic or delayed somehow.

At seven-thirty, Asahi texted the guy.

Seven-forty. No response. 

At eight, Asahi sighed and ordered an Uber. He looked up as the same red car from before pulled to a stop. The window wound down to a smirking Nishinoya. “Soooo, how’d the date go?”

“It, uh. It didn’t.”

Nishinoya frowned. “He stood you up?”

“Yeah. I’m just sad I didn’t get any ramen. It’s a couples bar, so it’d be weird to go in alone.”

In a flash, Nishinoya was out of the car and grinning like a shark up at Asahi, eyes glinting. “Then there’s only one thing to do, isn’t there?”

“Wait, what?”

-0-

Nishinoya had insisted he be called “Noya”, even though they hardly knew each other, but Noya felt it was his duty to, in his words, “flip the bird at social conventions”. Noya’s chopsticks moved in a whirl. The stack of empty ramen bowls beside him continued to rise as Asahi watched on in awe. Talking between bites, Noya had a surplus of ridiculous stories to tell. At times, he would talk too fast or through a mouthful of noodles, so Asahi wasn’t quite sure what he was talking about, but the way he enthusiastically waved his arms around to punctuate his points was endearing nonetheless. Asahi had to constantly remind himself this wasn’t a real date -- Noya was just pretending.

Finishing off his fourth bowl of ramen, the noodles Noya was slurping into his mouth flicked up and hit him in the nose. Asahi smiled and leaned forward to wipe Noya’s nose with the tip of a red napkin. “You have broth on your nose.” 

Their faces were suddenly very close, and both blushed before quickly pulling away.

-0-

To Noya’s utter outrage, Asahi insisted on paying.

“Really,” said Asahi, opening his wallet, “It’s fine.”

“It is _not_ fine! I ordered way too much! You can’t!”

“I can.” Asahi counted the money out.

“Don’t you dare pay for me!” Noya reached for his own wallet.

Asahi handed the cash over the counter. “Sorry.”

Noya turned a shade of deep red. It was adorable.

-0-

After exchanging tiny bows, Asahi said, “Thanks for coming in with me. Tonight was fun, even though my date stood me up.”

Noya waved a dismissive hand. “Eh, don’t mention it. And I’m still salty you didn’t let me pay!”

“You were the one who gave me an excuse to get ramen. That was just thanks for taking the time out of your schedule.”

Grinning, Noya said, “Well it’s not like it was difficult! So, how are you getting home?”

Asahi frowned. “Ah, I have no money left for an uber, so I guess I’ll walk. It’s only a couple of blocks.”

“Walk!? But it’s so cold!” 

“I have thick skin.” A gust of wind whipped past Asahi’s face. It was a chilly night, but it wasn’t like he had any other choice. The last bus had already left.

Before Asahi could say another word, a hand grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward the car. Well, Asahi _let_ himself be dragged, since Noya wasn’t exactly capable of moving Asahi’s tall form on his own. Noya opened the back door. “Get in, loser! I’m driving you home. This is the least I can do after you paid for dinner.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

Noya groaned dramatically and rolled his eyes. “Are you always this stubborn?”

“Pretty much.”

In a flash, Noya was behind him, attempting fruitlessly to push him forward. “Urghh!” Asahi just resembled a brick wall as Noya slammed his shoulder into him. “Just get in the damn car!”

Asahi sighed, smiled, and did.

-0-

In the back seat and truly looking this time, Asahi was struck by Noya’s hairstyle. How much gel had he used to make it _do_ that? Incredible. So spiky. 

Fastening his seatbelt, Asahi said, “Hey Noya.”

“Hm?”

“Thank you for driving me. Really. I appreciate it.”

Noya revved the car. “Eh, whatever. You can thank me with a second date.” He glanced back with a small smile, as if suddenly shy.

“A what?”

The car reversed out. “I mean, only if you want to. If you don’t I totally--”

“Hey.” The engine was rumbling but the car was still, Noya glancing back at him out the corner of his eye. “I want to.”

Noya broke out into another gigantic grin, face flushing a little. “Hell yeah!” He turned a knob on the dashboard and ACDC blasted from the speakers. Of course.

Asahi continued, “However, this time please don’t drive so badly that we’re constantly seconds from death.”

“Excuse me! I’ll have you know that I’m a great driver!” Noya revved the engine and slammed his foot down. The car shot forward and Asahi gripped the door rail for dear life. Noya cackled.

Asahi felt himself smile again. Just what had he gotten himself into?

-0-

Driver Profile

Nishinoya Yuu

_Reviews (1)_

_⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐_ _10/10 Excellent experience._

-0-

**Author's Note:**

> Comments sustain my life-force.


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